Under the cool morning breeze, Lecturer Mu Qing led all of the new Self Defense Department students out of the freshman dormitory. “After today, I won’t be picking you all up and dropping you off anymore. You all will have to enter and exit the freshman dormitory on your own.”

Behind her, one could vaguely make out the green multi-layered hall with the suspended bronze stairs and lofty walls, the building like a slumbering beast.

Lin Xi, who was just like that middle-aged uncle, feeling like he might as well sit back and enjoy the process, properly examine this brilliant world, was shocked once again.

Several immortal cranes whose colors were distinctively black and white passed over the green building, together with the black-robed woman below, they formed a scene that would have been difficult to see in his past world.

“Our teacher for the first lesson is him?”

Li Kaiyun who was walking next to Lin Xi didn’t share his attitude of appreciation. The moment that figure appeared from behind a black brick black tiled palace hall without any omen, he, together with many other Self Defense Department new students, immediately didn’t dare move.

The figure walking towards them was precisely that cold, single-eyed lecturer.

Lin Xi, however, didn’t feel that this single-eyed lecturer was all that scary. This single-eyed lecturer’s face gave off a similar feeling as Professor Snape’s[1], but he was ten or so years older. Contrary to Lin Xi, there were some new Self Defense Department students whose faces were exceptionally pale, their steps shaky, who drew his attention. 

“What’s wrong with them?” Lin Xi asked Li Kaiyun quietly, his voice full of curiosity.

“They were trapped in some corridors for an entire night, only in the morning were they brought out by Lecturer Mu Qing.” The one who replied to Lin Xi’s question was Hua Jiyue, this tall girl from North Sprout Province who was looking at Lin Xi with an expression full of interest. “There were many people who were trapped inside the dorm yesterday, just that most of them weren’t as lucky as them, unable to find a way out. What, you actually didn’t run all around the dorm?”

Lin Xi laughed and said, “What, do I look like the type who loves to run all over the place?”

“Don’t forget that you were the first to rush into my room.” Hua Jiyue completely ignored the ambiguous meanings of this line. She shot Lin Xi a look and said, “The expression in your eyes when you look at anything is filled with fascination. Is this why you were able to deal with that Medicine Department professor’s strange prompt?”

Lin Xi’s smile became even more brilliant. “Let’s say that you’re correct. However, I’m not in that much of a hurry either. If I want to see interesting things, I can also wait until others tell me what types of things are worth seeing, and then go see those things then. That is why last night, I indeed didn’t run all over the place.”

Hua Jiyue gave Lin Xi another glance, quietly saying, “Last night, there were two fellas who discovered that the freshman dormitory was far larger than what we imagined. It isn’t only limited to the building we live in, there is also a passage into the belly of the mountain, who knows just how large the world below the dorm is, what kind of things are there.”

“Then once you find out, you definitely have to tell me.”

“You…!” Hua Jiyue almost choked to death after hearing Lin Xi’s words.

“I’m joking, you don’t need to take me so seriously.” Lin Xi laughed with a bitter smile. “If there are any courses we have to take later where it’s fine even if we are trapped for an entire night, then we can explore as we please. Didn’t Lecturer Mu Qing tell us that apart from those places one can only enter after acquiring a set amount of academic points, all of Green Luan Academy is accessible? The places that need to be explored are definitely many.”

Hong!

Right at this time, the Self Defense Department students around Lin Xi and the others all erupted into commotion.

Lin Xi turned his head in surprise, seeing that almost all of the golden spoon new students were staring at the chest of the single-eyed black-robed lecturer who was walking over.

There were two emblems on his chest, one in the shape of a shield, golden in color, covered in thistle patterns, the other silver-colored, in the design of a falling star.

“Thistles emblem and meteor emblem!” Li Kaiyun was as confused as Lin Xi at first, but when he clearly saw these two emblems’ designs, his expression changed greatly, from the initial reverence to admiration and shock.

The two emblems were exceptionally striking on the black robes, because what they reflected was inextinguishable glory.

“Only those who have participated in two or more dangerous assassinations or rescues have a chance of being gifted this thistles emblem, while only those who have displayed exceptional valor in battle have a chance of being awarded the meteor emblem. These are symbols of unmatched glory and honor in the empire! In the entire empire, it is rumored that only twenty or so of these emblems are awarded each year.” When he saw Lin Xi’s face that was still bewildered, Li Kaiyun explained with a slightly shaking voice.

Half of it was because of the early morning radiance shining from the east, the other half the glory these two emblems represented, this black-robed, single-eyed lecturer who walked from the east side was incomparably dazzling.

“Follow me.”

This black-robed single-eyed lecturer spoke these two words indifferently, bringing all of the new students to a broken covered bridge. Below the bridge was an overhanging cliff.

A silver zipline and a similarly silver-white chain extended side by side into a valley. There were slipknots at each interval on the silver zipline, hanging from them tension bars, seemingly made to be held onto.

“If you all aren’t too stupid, you all should have already learned that this is our Green Luan Academy’s silverthread zipline from Lecturer Mu Qing. Zhao Kean, step forward!”

A short and skinny youngster from North Tide City squeezed his way out from the crowd, about to lose his head out of fear.

“Hold onto it tightly, and then slide your way down.” The black-robed single-eyed lecturer gave the book in his hands a look, then briefly examined Zhao Kean, noting some of his distinctive features, and then said this directly and clearly.

Zhao Kean’s face was completely white. When he saw the several hundred meters tall cliff, he didn’t dare make any movements.

“Ah!” He released a sharp cry. The black-robed single-eyed lecturer gave Zhao Kean’s bottom a ruthless kick, and then the latter directly slid down along the silverthread zipline.

“We have to go down just like that? … what if we didn’t hold on tightly enough?” Amidst Zhao Kean’s miserable scream, a Self Defense Department new student backed up a few steps, his legs shaking.

“Then you’ll fall to your death.” The black-robed single-eyed lecturer gave this new student a look, and then mocked, “If you can’t even hold on tightly, then this can also be considered a way to prevent this academy from losing face in the future. What is your name?”

“Tu Xiaomeng.”

“Alright, it’s now your turn.”

“…”

Pfft!

When he saw this new student get kicked in the bottom again, flying out with his face completely pale, Lin Xi couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“What is your name?” The black-robed single-eyed professor’s eyes immediately stopped on Lin Xi’s body.

“Lin Xi.”

Consequently, under Mu Shanzi and Qiu Lu’s eyes that were filled with delight at Lin Xi’s disaster, Lin Xi became the third person to stand on the cliff.

However, what immediately left these two speechless, made their eyes widen, was that before the black-robed single-eyed professor even did anything, Lin Xi already slid down extremely naturally.

…

Lin Xi’s mood was carefree and full of excitement, the naturally majestic scenery and beautiful palaces between the mountains making this trip down the zipline even more interesting than the rollercoasters he was familiar with.

He passed through the rising mist between the mountains, making his way through the unique smelling forest before finally making contact with a heavily padded wooden wall.

The two deathly pale Self Defense Department new students looked at the smiling Lin Xi with the eyes of looking at a freak, while Lin Xi himself was still in the condition to smile in their direction before sizing up this valley.

This valley wasn’t that large, an expanse of purple orchids planted on the slope, a clear stream slowly flowed along it. On the plains next to this stream was an airy grass hut.

A faint fragrance filled the skies. There were finger-sized little fish swimming about in the clear spring water, unexpectedly not at all alarmed by the sudden activity, instead continuing to swim as usual.

Self Defense Department new students bumped into the heavily padded wall one after another before falling down, and then finally, the single-eyed black-robed lecturer was like a black hawk, loosening his hand and landing stably on the ground without even making contact with that wall.

He didn’t say anything, only making a gesture. Just like that, the black-robed lecturer led Lin Xi and the other Self Defense Department new students into the grass hut next to the stream.

At one end of the open style grass hut was a short rectangular platform, on it a black longbow. On the other side were blue-green colored bamboo mats.

The stream released soft murmuring sounds, a clear breeze blowing through this place. After the single-eyed black-robed lecturer took a seat on the platform, he began the lesson.

“Do you all feel that I am purposely showing off, wearing these two emblems even though I am just here to give a lecture?” The single-eyed black-robed lecturer swept his eyes over all of the Self Defense Department new students coldly.

No one uttered a sound. Even if this thought couldn’t help but emerge in some of their minds, who would dare rashly step out and criticize an academy lecturer’s way of doing things?

“This was an order left behind by the principal. During each lecturer’s first official lesson, they must wear their emblems.”

“Why is that?” Finally, a rather daring new student spoke out. This new student had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, his posture upright and proper. His figure gave off the feeling of being a child from an influential family, carrying a natural sense of pride. He was the one from Central Continent Imperial City, Dugu Xue Ting.

“Without a goal to use as comparison, how can one go beyond? It is precisely these emblems that allow the academy to stand tall here, giving you all the chance to sit here today.” The single-eyed black-robed lecturer swept his eyes over every single Self Defense Department new student, looking at the brand new blue clothes they wore. “You all must remember that the black robes I wear, as well as the academy uniform you all wear, are the most important emblems. You all haven’t achieved anything, yet you’ve already acquired such honor… that is why in the future, all of you must do much more to make up for this glory that has already been bestowed upon all of you.”

A new student asked respectfully, “Does every single academy lecturer have these types of emblems?”

The single-eyed black-robed lecturer wasn’t fazed in the slightest. With a sneer, he said, “Or else what? Will you all feel that the academy’s lecturers are actually of little value? … only by becoming someone with at least two emblems of this grade does one have the qualifications of becoming an academy lecturer.”

While another uproar erupted here, Lin Xi, who had already learned from Li Kaiyun that a single one of these emblems could ensure the rank of city supervisor in the outside world, couldn’t help but recall Xia Yanbing and Mu Qing… then this was to say, Xia Yanbing, who seemed extremely young and that seemingly calm and collected woman already achieved countless astonishing feats?

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